Slim Jim Phantom & Friends

Surf Ballroom

Clear Lake, IA

Feb. 1st, 2025

This is a "Midwest Sounds" recording (MWS349)

Lineage: Zoom H1Essential (32-Bit Float) > SD Card > Reaper (EQ, Normalizing) > Track splits using CD Wave Editor > Compressed to FLAC Level 8 with dBpoweramp > Tagged with MP3 Tag

-Feel free to re-master, share freely anywhere else, convert to MP3, just never ever sell it. Also, if you like this show, please support the artist by buying/streaming their music, buying a ticket to a show or buying merch.

https://www.slimjimphantom.com/

1. Intro

2. Not Fade Away (The Crickets cover)  (Austin Allsup vocals, Mario Valens harmonica)

3. Big Boss Man (Jimmy Reed cover) (Austin Allsup vocals, Mario Valens harmonica)

4. Matchbox (Carl Perkins cover) (Slim Jim Phantom vocals)

5. What'd I Say (Ray Charles cover) (Chubby Checker / Austin Allsup vocals)

6. Hound Dog (Big Mama Thornton cover) > I Saw Her Standing There (The Beatles cover) > Give Me That Rock and Roll (Chubby Checker vocals)

7. Maybe Baby (The Crickets cover) (Austin Allsup vocals)

8. All My Love (Oh Boy) (Sonny West cover) (Slim Jim Phantom vocals)

9. White Lightning (The Big Bopper cover) (Austin Allsup vocals)

10. Rock This Town (Stray Cats cover) (Slim Jim Phantom vocals)

11. Outro 

Slim Jim Phanton- Drums, Vocals

Austin Allsup- Vocals, Guitar

Albert Lee- Guitar

Rex Elle- Guitar

Richie Lee- Guitar

Harry Marion- Drums

Slim Jim Phantom helped introduce a generation to rockabilly alongside Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker as the drummer with The Stray Cats. With a love for 50's Rock and Roll, the Stray Cats took inspiration from that bygone era and mixed with their youthful energy and aggression to produce the updated hard-edged rockabilly sound that saw them conquer London, Europe and later the U.S., gaining fans among the likes of Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, and Robert Plant along the way.

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Pictures from the show: mwspictures.org/index?/category/390-night_4_2_1_25

http://www.midwestsoundsrecordings.com/

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Tapers notes: Night 4 of 4 of The Winter Dance Party 2025. The last night is always the longest night of the event, and usually when the biggest names are booked. No exception here with Chubby Checker headlining, and Slim Jim Phantom closing out the event as usual. Opening the night was The Midnight Cowgirls, advertised as an "All Girl Country Rock Band", and includes Slim Jim's wife Jennie Vee. I've been following the bands journey from their starting point, and was very excited when they showed up on the schedule. They didn't disappoint, it was such a fun set and they all sounded great. Rex Elle joined in on the dance line during Chubby Checker's set, as well as joining in on the finale set. Albert Lee has become a fixture at the Winter Dance Party, joined this time by Jeremy Clyde (Chad & Jeremy). I will admit, I was a little bummed by the choice in songs, Albert is at his best when he's playing blues/rock and roll, but it was still an enjoyable set. The Duprees were good, although at this point they are basically a cover band as none of the orginal members are alive. Then came Chubby Checker, and it was most definitely the highlight of the night. Everyone knows "The Twist" of course, but he had a great selection of songs leading up to it, and audience participation was encouraged, even inviting them onto the stage to dance during several songs. I was really impressed by his voice, he doesn't sound all that different than he did 60 years ago, and still moved around like a man half his age. Closing out the night as always is an all star event hosted by Slim Jim Phantom, with any number of special guests on vocals and other instruments. This is an event I look forward to all year, and every year it just seems to get better, both the event and the people I meet along the way.

"Got a mind to ramble, got a mind to roam

I'm travelin' light and I'm slow coming home"